The office's chief responsibility is to oversee NGATS, an attempt to modernize and expand the nation's aviation system, which is expected to handle three times more air traffic by 2025 than there is today.

Leader received a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Business. He has held leadership positions at several aviation firms, including Hughes Aircraft and was a partner at the international consulting firm McKinsey & Co., specializing in aerospace and defense issues.